Advertising-counter.



H. 0., L. M. & W. FRITTS.

ADVERTISING COUNTER.

APPLICATION FILED OOT. 3,1910.

Patented May 23, 1911.

amen/tow I UNTT A FEUZQEQ HOMER O. FRITTS, LANGDON M. FRIT'I'S, AND WILLIAM H. FRITTS, 0F SHELDON, IOWA.

ADVERTISING-COUNTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1911.

Application filed. October 3, 1910. Serial No. 585,067.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HOMER O. FRITTs, LANGDON M. F arms, and WILLIAM H. Fnirrs, citizens of the United States, residing at Sheldon in the county of OBrien and State of Iowa have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Advertising-Counters; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in advertising counters.

One object of the invention is to provide a counter having arranged therein means for holding and displaying advertising signs and the like.

Another object is to provide a counter of this character having a glass top and means whereby the advertisements displayed beneath the same may be readily removed and others substituted without disturbing the glass top of the counter.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a counter constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional View of the same, showing the advertisement supporting slide in closed and fastened position. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the slide partly open.

' Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the counter in which is arranged my advertisement supporting device. The counter 1 is provided with a glass or other form of transparent top 2 which is here shown and is preferably secured to the counter at its opposite corners by triangular metal clips 3.

Arranged beneath the glass top of the counter are one or more slidably supported advertisement holding boards 4. In the present instance the counter is shown as being provided with a single board 4 which extends the entire length and full width of the counter. The board 4 is provided on its lower side adjacent to its opposite ends with downwardly projecting cleats 5 which have their lower edge formed at an angle from the rear toward the front edge of the board and in the lower angular edge of the cleats are formed notches 6 which provide stop shoulders 7 the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. On the inner sides of the ends of the counter or on other suitable supports are arranged horizontally dis posed supporting and guiding blocks 8 the upper edges of which are inclined or formed at an angle from their outer ends toward the front side of the counter and with said inclined upper edges of the blocks 8 are slidably engaged the lower inclined angular edges of the cleats 5. when the board at is pushed into position beneath the glass top 2 of the counter. When the board at is thus pushed into position the engagement of the inclined edges of the cleats 5 and blocks 8 will force the board up into close engagement with the under side of the glass plate as shown.

In order to hold the board 4 up into operative engagement with the glass top 2, we provide a suitable locking mechanism comprising fiat metal springs 9 which are arranged in recesses 10 formed in the upper inclined edges of the blocks 8 adjacent to the rear ends of the same. The plates 9 are secured at their outer ends to the rear end of the recesses 10 and are adapted to be forced upwardly at their forward ends by operating screws 11 which have a threaded engagement with the blocks 8 and are provided on their lower ends with operating heads 12 whereby the same may be screwed inwardly or outwardly through the blocks 8. WVhen the screws 9 are thus driven inwardly the inner ends of the screws will engage the lower sides of the springs 9 thus forcing the free ends thereof upwardly and into engagement with the shoulders 7 of the recesses 6 in the cleats 5 of the board thereby securely locking the board against rearward movement and holding the same in operative engagement with the under side of the glass top. 1

The upper side of the board 4 is divided into a series of spaces of which there may be any desired number and which may be formed in any desired shape. The spaces are formed by strips 13 arranged transversely and longitudinally across the upper side of the board as shown. The strips 13 may be formed of any suitable material and are here shown and are preferably formed of tape or braid whichv is stretched across the top of the board and tacked at its opposite ends to the edges thereof.

The advertisements to be displayed are printed on cards corresponding to the shape of the spaces formed by the strips 13 and are arranged in said spaces with their edges projecting beneath the edges of the strips. If desired, the cards 1a may be more firmly secured by glue or other adhesive material, a small quantity of which is applied to the center of the cards whereby the same will be pasted to the top of the board .or to a suitable backing sheet 15 secured to the upper side of the board. The backing sheet 15 is formed of a soft yielding material such as blotting paper or felt which will provide a cushion to prevent the cracking of the glass top should the board be forced too tightly against the under side of the same. The cushioning effect of the lining or backing sheet also serves to keep the advertising cards up into close engagement with the under side of the glass top of the counter. If desired the solid portions of the top of the counter at the ends of the removable board 4: and to which the ends of the glass top are secured may be also provided with advertising spaces constructed and arranged in the same manner as the spaces on the board 4.

By constructing a counter as herein shown and described it will be readily seen that any number of advertisements may be conspicuously displayed and will be protected from becoming soiled or mutilated and that any of the signs may be readily removed and difierent signs substituted therefor when desired.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In an advertising counter, a transparent top, supportlng and guiding blocks suitably attached to the counter below said top, said blocks having an inclined upper edge, an advertisement holding board, cleats secured to the under side and adjacent to the opposite ends of said board, said cleats having inclined lower edges adapted to slidably engage the edges of said supporting blocks whereby said board may be pushed up into close engagement with the under side of the glass top, and means to lock said cleats to the supporting blocks whereby the board is held in operative position.

2. In an advertising counter, a glass top, means to secure said top to the counter, supporting and guiding blocks suitably secured to the counter below said top, said blocks having inclinedrecessed upper edges, looking springs arranged in said recesses and secured at their rear ends to the blocks, spring projecting screws arranged in said blocks and adapted to be secured upwardly to lift the free ends of the springs to a locking position, an advertisement holding board having on its lower sides cleats, said cleats being provided with inclined block engaging edges, said edges having arranged therein recesses which form stop shoulders adapted to receive the ends of the looking springs when the locks are projected by said screws to locking positions, thereby securely holding said board in operative position.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVitnesses:

A. S. SCI-I001, B. T. Woons, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, "by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

